Whitecaps appoint new head coach

Ashley Moliere / November 7, 2018

The Vancouver Whitecaps presented Marc Dos Santos as the new head coach of the team. Dos Santos has agreed to a three-year contract with the club.

The announcement comes just over a month after management fired former coach Carl Robinson.

Dos Santos said he wants to create a unique Whitecaps culture for the players to embrace.

“Wherever I’ve been it’s been a concern for me to develop a culture in the locker room that is a winning one, so it’s not going to change here…I’m here to change it and try to bring it to another level.” – Marc Dos Santos, Whitecaps FC head coach

Dos Santos most recently worked alongside Bob Bradley as an assistant coach for LAFC. The team set an MLS record for the most points by an expansion team.

The new coach has more than ten years of experience coaching at the amateur and professional level. He has coached in Portugal, Brazil, the United States and Canada.

Dos Santos has made several championship final appearances, winning one in 2009 and one in 2017.

In a press release issued by the club, Dos Santos said, “It’s a club with an incredible potential to grow and become an example for others. I believe in the structure the club has and in the passion of the people involved. I look forward to meeting with our supporters and listening to them, sharing in their dreams and ambitions. They are a very big part of what this club is all about, and together we will meet the challenge of becoming a championship calibre club.”

“Marc is a confident, driven leader who has proven himself as a winner at every level he has been tested. We were impressed by his ability to deliver a clear plan that optimizes all of our resources to measurably improve the club in critical areas. Bringing in Marc positions the club to meet our goals of competing regularly with the best in the league and to win trophies for Vancouver’s loyal supporters, starting first and foremost with the MLS Cup.” – Jeff Mallett, Whitecaps FC co-owner

The Caps are looking to turn things around after a mediocre season. They finished eighth in the Western Conference standings and were not able to clinch a playoff spot. Their final record for the season was 13 wins, 13 losses and 8 draws which amounted to 47 points.